


Chasing The 'Mares Away

by RandyQueen



Series: Remembrance [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feels, Harley Keener Gives the Hugs, Nightmares, Peter Parker Has Nightmares, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker has PTSD, Sharing a Bed, more hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 07:16:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18751627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandyQueen/pseuds/RandyQueen
Summary: "Those memories are stuck in there and they will come to the surface." - Chris MayPeter Parker has nightmares and Harley is there to comfort him.





	Chasing The 'Mares Away

A month after reading Tony’s will, the nightmares began. Just when his heart had started to hurt less. He hadn’t been getting sleep in the past week. Collectively, he got only five hours of sleep.

When a door slammed, he flinched. When he caught something glowing in red, purple, blue, green, orange, or yellow, he flinched. When he saw ash, he flinched. When someone would snap, he would flinch and tense up.

His dreams weren’t any better.

Every time Peter closed his eyes, he’d remember the missiles landing in everywhere around him. He would remember Tony’s eyes losing the light. He would remember the sound of Thanos snapping.

Since Tony had given Elaine and Aunt May an apartment complex that was fully paid for, the Keeners and Parkers had moved in. With a lot of begging, Peter and Harley had each gotten their own apartment. It helped with Peter’s current situation. He woke up with shouts and was able to not wake anyone up.

On one particular night, Peter had a reoccurring nightmare. It would start out with the booming of the missiles and end with Tony dying. This time, he woke up with someone in his room with him.

Harley sat on the side of his bed. His hand was in the air as if he was going to wake Peter up.

“Harles?” Peter slurred out. He was still half-asleep.

“Heya, Pete,” Harley said, “you okay?”

Peter sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Not really.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Harley asked as he moved to sit beside Peter’s prone figure with his back on the headboard next to him.

“During the Compound Battle, I had grabbed the gauntlet,” Peter said. “We were playing keep away with it. When Thanos realized what was happening, he sent missiles on the ground.”

Harley put his hand on Peter’s leg as he sucked in a sharp breath. Peter continued, “there was one point in which the missiles and aliens became so overwhelming that I collapsed to the ground and covered myself.”

Peter wasn’t aware that his breathing had become erratic or that he started to cry until Harley wiped the tears.

“Hey,” Harley said softly. He pulled Peter’s head into his lap and ran his fingers through his hair. “We’re in your apartment, everything is okay.”

“No, it’s not,” Peter took in a shuddering breath as he curled into Harley’s embrace, “I can’t sleep at all. Every time I close my eyes, I see the battle or space or Tony dying.”

Harley continued to run his hand through Peter’s hair. “You went through more than you should have ever at our age.”

“But then I wouldn’t have met Tony, or Pepper, or Morgan, or you,” Peter said as he wrapped his arms around Harley as best as he could. “Without becoming Spider-Man, none of this would have happened. Sure, I lost a lot but I gained a lot more.”

Peter was pulled closer to the other boy. “Most people would run shitless but not you,” Harley huffed a laugh. “Funny enough, I can’t imagine a better Spider-Man.”

“I won’t be forever.”

Harley’s fingers tapped a rhythm where they rested on Peter’s arm. “No one can wear a mask forever,” he said. “There will come a time to hang it up. Right now, enjoy what you have.”

“You sound so philosophical,” Peter teased. He leaned into Harley’s hand.

“With great knowledge comes a heavy burden,” Harley said in an old man voice.

Peter snorted. “I don’t believe that.”

“How ya feeling now?” Harley asked.

“Much better,” Peter said. His arms tighten slightly, fearing the Harley would leave him alone.

“Good, now scoot over.”

Confused, Peter complied. His silent question was answered as Harley laid out on his bed and faced him. “Is this okay?”

Peter nodded. “Yeah,” he whispered. His face was warming up. Their hands were next to each other. If he were to move his hand closer, they would be holding hands.

“How long have the nightmare been happening?” Harley asked softly.

“About a month after the will was read.”

Harley’s hand inched so that their pinkies hooked together. “That was three months ago, Peter.”

“I just couldn’t talk about it,” Peter said, staring intensely at his hand and feeling his eyes water. “Every time I wanted to, I would clam up and nothing would come out.”

“Hey,” Harley wiped at Peter’s eyes, “there is nothing wrong with that. It takes time for someone to be able to talk about it.”

“Some times I hate my powers,” Peter told him. “After I was bitten, my senses became heightened. I feel emotions more now.”

“That really sucks.”

He let out a watery laugh. “Yeah, it does. The other things make up for it.”

“Wall crawling is like the only other thing you have,” Harley said.

“I have my spidey sense,” Peter countered, “the super strength, perfect balance, speed, and agility.”

“How much can you lift?”

The curiosity in Harley’s eyes to his mind away from his nightmares. “About 170 times my weight which is around 25,500 pounds.”

“You could lift an elephant,” Harley said suddenly. “You can lift more than Captian America.”

“I’ll go up to him and say, “do you even lift bro?”,” Peter laughed.

“Do it,” Harley challenged.

“Maybe one day.” Peter yawned.

The other boy yawned in response. “We should head to sleep now.”

“Mh, yeah,” Peter said as his eyes grew heavier. “Night, Harles.”

“Good night, Peter.”

**Author's Note:**

> I saw Endgame again on Friday and I was thinking, "As much as I love Peter, he has to have PTSD after the Compound Battle (that's what I'm calling it)." Ngl, Imma be a little sad if he doesn't have PTSD as cruel as it sounds. 
> 
> Good news, it seems that I may have a few more works in process since my brain is giving me ideas for once. I have two Parkner WIPs and a GoT WIP that I am working on. Also, who else saw the FFH trailer? That shit hurted.
> 
> Cry about Endgame or FFH with me here --> [ Me!](https://mischiefandmagic6.tumblr.com/)


End file.
